Tag: nutrition

The Adjustment

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What do chiropractors do, and how can we help you?

Chiropractors are experts of the spine. We go to school for a minimum of 3 years prior to being accepted into chiropractic college. From there, we go through a rigorous doctorate degree that encompasses many of the same core classes as a medical doctor as well as other specialized classes that have to do with the musculoskeletal system and how to adjust and align the spine.

Throughout that doctorate degree, we learn the specifics of how the brain talks with, and controls your body. Such as how your body has an inhibitory reflex when you touch a burning candle. Your body is equipped with an automatic draw reflex that makes you pull your hand away from the flame without consciously withdrawing your hand. We also learn how the individual vertebra move on one and other and how altered movement of those vertebra can cause pain, dysfunction, altered biomechanics and can also lead to an increased rate of joint degeneration.

When we talk about joint dysfunction (subluxation), we look at a joint that is fixated and that does not move independently from its adjacent segment. These fixations can be caused from stress, inflammation, trauma, repetitive movements and poor posture. When we have these subluxations, they can cause increased pain in the area of restriction, refer pain to another area of the body, it can cause increased muscle tension on surrounding muscles. The increase in muscle tension can be a protective mechanism in which the muscle tightness up because the joint feels vulnerable or it can be caused from a malposition of the spinal segment itself.  Altered spine motion can also alter your biomechanics (the way your body moves).

When your body is aligned and each segment is moving within its normal range. Our bodies have balance in the sense that there is no undo stress on any particular muscle or joint. When we develop these misalignments and fixations our bodies start to compensate for the subluxation. In the area of restriction there is likely be a segment of hypermobility above or below to compensate for the restricted segment or you may start to shift your weight to one side of your body more than the other to create a sense of balance.

You see the body is very smart and will do whatever it can to continue to function as normal as possible, but this often comes at the expense of another joint or part of your body. That is where we come in, as chiropractors we correct those areas of restriction and help to get the patient moving and pain free as best we can.

Each joint in out body has receptors that have various functions that provide feedback to the brain. These mechanoreceptors provide feedback on how much stretch is in each muscle surrounding the joint, the position of the joint in space which allows us to maintain balance and be able to move in space with coordination and balance. These receptors also send pain signals when they are irritated such as when there is lack of motion in a segment or the segment is subluxated. When we assess the joint and finds the restriction we are then able to apply a high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) adjustment to the segment in the direction of malposition or fixation to realign and create motion through the joint. The adjustment also sends feedback to the brain through the mechanoreceptors that tell the surrounding muscles to relax and also inhibits the pain receptors. The final outcome of a HVLA adjustment facilitates proper motion of individual segments, relaxation of surrounding musculature, improves biomechanics and ultimately leads to a decrease in pain.

So, if you have a back, there is a good chance that chiropractic care is going to help you.

-Daniel Hounjet, Core Health Intern

 

 

Listen Up!

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Auditory Acuity of self.

I’ve been around the health and fitness industry a long time, which means I’m getting old, but it has allowed me to personally commit all the mistakes I see patients come into the clinic with.   For the purposes of this article, let’s call the health, fitness, and food industries the wellness industry. The only constant about the wellness industry is that it’s always changing.  Information evolves, trends come and go, and maybe something we thought was “healthy” turns out to be false.  Your circumstances play a significant role in how you apply the information and methods available, which like the topic itself, is in a constant state of flux.

So how do we navigate this chaos?  Start by understanding that it’s a journey.   Be ready to try various methods of self-care, nutrition, and exercise knowing that you’re going to fail and frustrate yourself with things that have worked so well for others.  You’re not everyone and you have to find what works with for you AND your circumstances with wherever you are in your life at that time.   Don’t give up, keep trying new things, keep learning, keep discovering, and push on.

Now I could write a novel covering each of these industry topics, but I want to focus on exercise for this post and more specifically listening to your body.  I have been SO bad at this the past few years and it has been costly.   Low back pain, rib pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, waking up every day with some sort of ache or pain and continuing to mindlessly train and push my body past its limits.   This affects how comfortable I am when I work, when I do recreational activity, and when I’m spending time with my kids.

Why? Unless you’re a professional athlete, isn’t the purpose of exercise and training to better your life outside the gym?  Aren’t we supposed to train to build ourselves up not break ourselves down?   Sure, there are going to be workouts and training sessions that push you to your limits and you’re going to be sore and beat up but that should be the exception, not the rule.   I wouldn’t want to see that go away and I don’t think it has to for you to still maintain an effective fitness routine, improve and push yourself to be a better version of your current self.    Intensity and pushing the limits is a critical part of any successful training program.  However, in my opinion, depending on your circumstances (sleep, stress, nutrition, self-care, age, recovery, etc) we must pick and choose our battles.

All too often I have a patient present after starting a new training program that they’ve been going 100mph at since day 1 and their body finally hits the brakes and things start to deteriorate.   Learning to decipher when your body is telling you to slow down because of mental fatigue vs physical fatigue can be tricky.   But if you’ve gone into training 4 days in a row, maxed out your heart rate every session, lifted as heavy as possible, ran as far and as hard as possible, done zero mobility, had no body work done, ate horribly, slept poorly, then chances are that is your nervous system telling you to take it easy.  The reason this warning is so critical is as the window of fatigue widens, so does the vulnerability for injury.   When it’s broken down it sounds like common sense, but when we are in the heat of the moment surrounded by peers and coaches we tend to push it all aside and go through the motions.

One approach that I’ve really been gravitating towards lately is identifying an intended stimulus prior to working out.  Before beginning I take stock on how I’m feeling and try to match my training stimulus to that.  How recovered do I feel?  Do I have any pain or stiffness? How did I eat this week/weekend? How much did or didn’t I sleep?   If the grading on all those questions are positive, then I may attack that workout with full intensity and really push it.    If I feel like I’m falling short on a few or all those topics, then I’ll scrap what was planned and reprogram for what I can handle.   If the scaling or changes you need to make is going to significantly change the workout in a class setting, then you may need to attend an open gym or workout from home that day.  Don’t put yourself in a situation where you’re going to succumb to peer pressure and put yourself at risk for injury or burnout.  But if you can make a few small modifications and still be in your class or group setting then go for it, you’re not going to be letting anyone down!

Start practicing this week.   Take stock of your overall wellness that day or week and come up with an intended stimulus for your training.  Quality movement is going to be the foundation for longevity and nothing derails a training program faster than injury.   I’m still learning from my mistakes and I’m looking forward to continuing my journey, now with more acuity to what my 33-year-old body is telling me.

 

Yours in Health,

Dr. Crane

Stop Drop & Roll

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Self-Talk : What you Tell Yourself Directly Impacts your Health

We read it all of the time, the person you spend the most time with is yourself.  We obviously know this to be true, but if we get deep for a moment, you actually realize you are with yourself EVERY moment of your life.  That is a lot of time together.  In that time you spend with yourself you are likely “talking” to yourself, consciously and sub-consciously.  What you say can have a profound impact your health.

In the past year I have a worked a lot on negative self-talk.  I often found (and still find) myself telling myself something seemingly innocuous as “gosh Amy you sucked at that workout today, you are the slowest runner on the planet” to something more obvious like “wow, you probably do not need a desert today you are looking hefty.”  This kind of nonsense seeps into our brains and takes up unnecessary space.  What we tell ourselves continuously, we unintentionally start to become.  If I tell myself I am the worst runner then I likely begin to avoid running.  If I restrict myself from desert based on some self-imposed critique I begin to deem yummy food as “bad” and will probably propel myself right into a binge in the future.  It is a slippery slope but we have the power to change.

I challenge you to change the narrative.  The next time you want to put yourself down apply the “stop, drop and roll” theory – yes it is that drastic!

  • STOP – ask yourself, would I tell my best friend this? Would I say this to my child, my parent  and would I say it OUT LOUD?  Would I tell ANYONE this, other myself this?  Likely, if you are at this step, the answer is a hard NO.  We can be our own worst enemies and it is time to be more kind to ourselves.  So if you would not say this to someone else, do not say it to yourself.
  • DROP – change the narrative. Drop the negative for a positive…right then and there. Find something kind to tell yourself.  Instead of harping on how slow you are, give yourself a high-five for making to the gym, getting out of bed that morning or heck, congratulate yourself for brushing your teeth.  Just change the narrative.  Instead of calling yourself hefty focus on a characteristic you do like that day.  Wow my hair looks great or I love this outfit or I smiled at that person on my walk.  ANYTHING kind is better.
  • ROLL – roll the things that may not be where we want into real change.  If I am slower than I would like to be how can I improve on that?  If I want to feel better in my skin what steps can I take to get there?  Recognition of want to change can be the catalyst to start the process.

Yes, we all have bad days.  We have days we do not feel on our game for one reason to another but we are doing our best.  We can recognize these “bad days” and give ourselves a nudge towards change.  Happiness is not a constant.  It is a moving target.  If you acknowledge that it is ok to accept things as they are on this day AND remind yourself that you are working towards a better tomorrow, your health goals and lifestyle improvement really are in reach.  Decide where you want to go and pat yourself on the back along the way.  Change takes time and a lifetime of reinforcement, giving yourself the strongest foundation is a great start!

 

-Amy Moser, Nutrition Coach

nutrition@uptowncore.com

Meal Prep Hacks!

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Would you consider yourself more of an organized planner or a last-minute, go-with-the-flow type of person?  I am definitely an organized planner and like to be prepared for the things I can. One reason why I like to be prepared is because I really dislike being hangry!  I always have staple foods in my freezer, fridge, pantry, vehicle, work drawer, and purse. Yes, purse. I get hungry frequently and am prepared to combat the low blood sugar and hanger with a quick snack.  Meal prepping is another thing my husband and I do to be prepared. With meal prep, our breakfasts and lunches are ready to go for the work day and dinner is either prepped and ready to heat up or cut up and ready to throw on the grill or in the oven.  This saves us so much time and we are able to enjoy other things during the week.

Here are some meal prep hacks to help you feel more prepared for the work week/weekend and maximize your time doing the things you enjoy.

  • Make a grocery list and look up a couple recipes if you are craving a specific type of meal
  • Cook foods in bulk.  Think protein sources, rice, potatoes, roasted veggies, egg bakes, oatmeal, etc.
  • Invest in a crock pot or instant pot if you don’t already have one or the other. Prepping made easy and fast
  • Get some good storage containers that fit in your fridge and in your lunch bag
  • Prep for ~3-4 days at a time.  Food will stay fresh and you will have more time to relax and enjoy other things around meal times
  • Always have staples in your pantry, fridge, and freezer (jasmine rice, eggs, whole grain pasta, frozen veggies, nut butters, olive oil, potatoes, canned tuna, frozen chicken breast or sausage, oatmeal, frozen fruit, protein bars)
  • Keep plenty of spices and healthier sauces on hand to add some flavor to your meals
  • Balance your meals.  Think a protein source, carbohydrate source, veggie, and healthy fat source.  This will keep your blood sugar stable and your meals tasty
  • Put a few days worth of meals together in containers and label them. Ready to grab and go
  • Make it a date.  Schedule your meal prep time and put it in your calendar. Sometimes it takes 30 minutes and sometimes 2 hours.  Regardless, it will save you more time during the week

With these hacks, meal prep will be easy and a huge time saver.  Your mornings will go smooth and you won’t have to think about what to have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner because you will be prepared. Throw on your favorite tunes or tv show in the background and get cooking!

 

Be well,

Coach Janna

Social Enjoyment and Nutritional Anxiety

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Sunny.  Blue sky.  Longer days.  It must be getting close to summer here in Minnesota.  We never know if a mid-June snow storm will interrupt those plans, BUT one thing is for sure, patio season has arrived.

The vitamin D is fantastic for our health and mood, however, when spring and summer roll around we often find ourselves with invites to more weekday happy hours and weekend get-togethers.  The summer holidays bring barbeques and outdoor ball games bring hotdogs, beers and my all-time favorite, soft pretzels.  One thing many of us struggle with is how to balance having a social life, especially during the resurgence of quality weather, with sticking to a healthy life-style.

It is likely unrealistic to eat a 100% clean diet 100% of the time and never leave your house to enjoy an outing with friends and family.  Will this approach grant you a lean body and a six-pack of abs?  Maybe!  I say maybe because no matter how hard we try or how strict we are some of us will never have abs – trust me I know.  However, I challenge you to ask yourself if this sacrifice worth the potential outcome.  For some, the answer may be yes.  Maybe you have goals to be an elite level athlete or a fitness competitor of some sort and this sacrifice is necessary to that process and worth it to you, that is absolutely okay.  I would hazard that most of us do not fall into the above category or if we do, it may be temporarily.  Chances are most of us are in the process of obtaining or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  If that is you then the moderation really is the answer.

YES, you can attend social functions and enjoy family and friend get-togethers at any stage of your healthy lifestyle process.  I am including a few tips below to help maximize your social enjoyment while minimizing your nutrition anxiety when the inevitable situations arise.

  • If you have a big night out planned front-load your protein intake for the day – we tend to intake more carbohydrate and fat heavy foods when we go out so including protein with your earlier meals will keep you satisfied and ensure you are more balanced at the end of the day
  • If you have a brunch or a mid-afternoon party maybe elect for two meals versus three hat day since you’ll likely intake more than normal
  • Show up to a gathering having eaten a small (protein heavy) meal close to arriving.  You will feel more full and less likely to pick at foods you may not even really want
  • Have a glass of water for each drink you enjoy
  • Instead of having a full drink try adding a calorie free pairing – you can make a white glass of wine more refreshing and less calorie dense by splitting it with seltzer water – la croix is all the rage these days
  • Check out the menu before you arrive at a restaurant so you can come up with a plan. You can always ask for things to be prepared without oils and butters, dressing on the side, etc.
  • Bring your own healthy dish to a party or barbeque so you know you will have a choice you can enjoy without stress
  • Select a lean meat or fish to pair with an indulgence or pair an indulgent burger with greens
  • Stash a protein bar and or beef jerky in your bag – this can be a great relief if your hunger creeps in and is a convenient choice

Enjoy your life but remember moderation really is key.  One indulgent meal or a fun night out will not sabotage your healthy lifestyle or progress and no food is a bad food.  Life is meant to be lived to the fullest.

If you want to know more about how you can maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy your life email me!  nutrition@uptowncore.com

 

-Amy Moser

Balancing Act

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How to stay on track during the busy summer

We hear it all the time. Balance. Everything in moderation. Too much of something is usually never a good thing.  But how? How do we balance work, fun, stress, nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc? Some people are great multi-taskers and doers, others not so much and need to focus on one thing at a time.  In my opinion, simplicity and happiness is the answer. Keep it simple, don’t overthink it, and make sure it brings you happiness.

I don’t know about you, but my summer brings a lot more social activities, weddings, BBQs, patio meet-ups, and sporting events.  These typically involve eating out or meals that I do not prepare, alcohol, more sitting that moving, and great conversations. If this is happening at least a couple times a week it can get overwhelming and cause some anxiety in a lot of people.  I love going to these fun events because they bring me happiness, but sometimes the guilt sets in the day after indulging.

The way I have dismissed the guilt and tackle the busy nature of summer is to make sure I am balancing the things in my life.  I eat nutrient-dense foods every day, drinking plenty of water, getting in daily movement or exercise (variety), prioritize sleep, and take time for me FIRST.  If my life is way too busy or if I am feeling much too overwhelmed or stressed, I have learned to say no. Setting yourself up for the summer chaos by taking care of yourself and your health first is going to make you feel much better about indulging at social outings.  It’s about the balance. Here is an example:

There is a potluck BBQ/bonfire on a Saturday afternoon.  I know I am going to eat there and try a lot of rich foods and also have a few alcoholic beverages.  Here are some tips on how to stay balanced and on track:

  • Eat a nutrient-dense, healthy breakfast. My go-to, well-rounded breakfast: egg/egg white/turkey sausage veggie scramble with a side of fresh fruit or a side of oatmeal topped with berries and some peanut butter.
  • Get in a workout, a hike, bike ride, or a long walk (No, NOT extra exercise because you are indulging later. Just get some movement in!)
  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day (and bring a full water bottle with to the BBQ)
  • Have a lighter lunch with plenty of vegetables, a good protein source, and some healthy fats (Bed of greens topped with fresh veggies, grilled chicken, and avocado with homemade vinaigrette)
  • Make a healthy side dish to bring to the BBQ so you know you will be eating a side of something you prepared at home
  • Have a snack before you go to the BBQ. NEVER go on an empty stomach. That often leads to binging and getting uncomfortably full. Favorite snacks: greek yogurt with chopped nuts or granola, cottage cheese, an apple with cheese, veggies dipped in hummus, a rice cake topped with deli meat and cheese, or a couple hard boiled eggs
  • At the BBQ focus on the social aspect and time with your friends and family
  • Decide how many alcoholic beverages you are going to have at the BBQ (a reasonable amount) and stick to it.  Going overboard with the alcohol can easily lead to going overboard with food as well
  • When you are hungry, dish up a balanced plate with a good protein source, some veggies if available, and try a couple small servings of other sides. Do not overload your plate because you can always have more if you are hungry
  • Do not immediately go up for seconds or to try other foods. Give your body some time to digest and feel how satisfied you really are
  • Enjoy the party. Socialize, play games, relax
  • Be home at a reasonable time to get in your zzz’s

Now it is the day after the BBQ.  Maybe I feel tired or I drank and ate a little bit more that I had planned.  That is OK. Now here is what I DO NOT do the day after some indulging:

  • Lay around and feel guilty for indulging the night before
  • Go exercise for longer than normal to try and burn off the food and alcohol I consumed last night
  • Restrict calories and food because I ate way too much yesterday
  • Eat zero carbs because “carbs are bad and can make you fat”  

*See Coach Dane’s last post about Carbs

  • Go get a really greasy, delicious breakfast, order pizza for dinner, and then eat a pint of ice cream because I already ate a ton and indulged yesterday, so my weekend is already ruined. What’s another day.
  • Lay and sit around all day binge-watching netflix (Hey, sometimes you need that, though)

The next day, carry on like any other day.  It is a new day. Yesterday is behind you. Eat nutrient-dense foods, drink plenty of water, get in a quick workout or go on a walk, read a book, watch some netflix, etc.  Do you see what the difference is between your average day and the day after indulging? Absolutely nothing. It is balance. It may take some time to be compassionate with yourself and kick the guilt out, but it can and will happen.  You can train yourself to have balance with everything in life, not just your nutrition. Stay tuned for future posts on how to balance other things in life.

My challenge to you this summer is to try and find that balance that brings you both happiness and health.  Do the things you enjoy doing and leave the guilt behind. You only have one life to live. If you need some help, our nutrition coaches at Core Health Chiropractic are here for you.  Please contact us at nutrition@uptowncore.com

Be well,

Coach Janna

Carbs: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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Carbohydrates:  Good or Bad?

“Oh I can’t eat that, it has carbs in it.”   Really?  Is that how people view carbs?  The evil macronutrient you are to avoid at all costs?  Don’t vegetables have a carbohydrate content!?  Sure, excess carbohydrates, which require water for storage, can lead to weight gain.  However, excess of any macronutrient can lead to weight gain!  The basic idea of a diet builds around energy balance.  In the case of a lower carb diet, the restriction typically leads to less energy in.  If coupled with exercise and proper energy out, someone loses weight.  It should be that simple.

But we do need carbs, especially athletes and active people.  Why do we need carbs and what are they good for?

For starters, we all need carbohydrates as energy transfer depends on it.  Our brain and red blood cells also need a continuously available supply of it.  We should get these complex carbs from high fiber sources including vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.  This leaves us feeling full longer.  Highly processed carbs digest quickly and lead to spikes in blood sugar and typically coming along with high amounts of sodium and preservatives.  (HINT:  Eat real food!)

Now that you know you need carbs, you could be strategic about when you eat them if you want to dive deep in to your nutrition.  Build your carb intake higher around your workout times to help fuel energy!  Carb intake will vary per each athlete.  Many endurance athletes have an ectomorph build.  They are often tall, lean, have trouble putting on mass and they tolerate carbs very well.  A power lifter in a strong man competition may need far less carbs to fuel their body and rely more on protein and fat.  The most important factor of carb intake is not to avoid it, but rather to work with your coach to understand how much you need and where to get useful carbs from.

Move well.  Eat well.  Be Well.

Written by,

Dane Schneider, Pn1

dane@springhillgc.com

Macros : Where to start

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Tracking Your Macros

Let’s get into the bulk of your diet and talk Macronutrients.  Macros are made up of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat.  This is what makes up your daily caloric intake and provides you with energy not only to tackle your workouts, but also to fuel your basic daily functional needs.  Tracking your macros is an effective way to make sure you are staying on track to achieve your nutrition goals.

To build an appropriate diet, we need to find out what your macronutrient needs are.  Body type, activity level, age, and your goals will all help shape how many of each macro you need.  Different people need different amounts of each macro to help either build muscle and mass, or reduce overall body weight.  Working with your nutrition coach will help dial in these numbers to a tight range you want to achieve each and every day.  The My Fitness Pal App is perfect for entering your daily intake.  Here are a few tips now that you have your macro count and a place to track them;

*Be honest!  Track everything even if its just a few bites off your kids plate or a quick snack you didn’t plan on having.

*Don’t guess.  Measure your food.  Portion sizes are tough to judge just based on looks, and this can lead to a massively inaccurate count.  A digital scale is the best way to measure your food.  They are just $20 at Target!

*Track your food throughout the day.  Its easy to wait until 9pm before entering your meals.  Its too late now when you realize you over ate or under ate all day.

*Share your macro count with your coach.  Giving feedback can help expedite the learning process to figure out YOUR best macro count.

Move well.  Eat well.  Be Well.

Written by,

Dane Schneider, Pn1

dane@springhillgc.com

Stress Effect

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Coming off one of the busiest “busy” seasons of my career, I have been thinking a lot about stress.  Stress IS a normal part of life.  We all have it in some form and it comes from a variety of sources, external and internal.  Typically, our bodies respond to stress by activating our nervous system and outputting hormones.  However, there are times when stress is increased or we operate in a stressful environment for a prolonged period.  This heightened period of stress can impact our health in an extremely negative way.  A prolonged period of high stress can alter our mental state, impair our sleep, cause cravings for certain foods and ultimately directly influence unwanted body changes.

In the midst of my tax busy season I found as I continued to push harder and say yes to more and more my mental state deteriorated.  I became more irritable and at times abnormally emotional.  My sleep was profoundly impacted.  I would often feel pure exhaustion but have a complete inability to either fall or remain asleep.  My weight crept uncomfortably up, my muscles were not recovering and I continued to become more stressed and overwhelmed.  I knew I had to make a change but I also felt a desperate need to keep the wheels of the bus in motion.  I feared if I took my foot off the gas pedal everything would fall apart.

It may not be the exact same story for everyone but I can imagine we have all experienced a period of heightened stress.  Chances are there was little we could do to avoid the stress.  We have jobs and responsibilities and commitments to many people and situations.  It is likely that at times our lives are busier than normal.  While we cannot just shut down and decide we no longer want to show up to work or keep our other commitments, it is important to manage our lives so we do not reach the point of burnout.

Once I came out of my busy season fog I made a promise to myself that I was not going to allow the overwhelming feelings to happen again by prescribing to the following:

  • Sleep before everything else. If I cannot fit in something without sacrificing sleep then I need to re-examine my commitments.  I am no good to others OR myself and my body without 7-8 of rest each night.
  • I can say no and it is ok. Less really is more.
  • Walking and low impact moving is sometimes more important for our body than a high impact workout.
  • Meal planning and feeding my body whole, well-rounded meals is good for my brain. Relying on sugar-laden foods makes me feel sluggish.
  • Caffeine can be a bandage if we begin to rely on it to get us through the day. Limiting my intake allows me to function on a more balanced plane.
  • Recognizing the impact stress was having on my body allowed me to begin to undo the negative impact. I had to be kind to myself to start the recovery process.

The weight has started to come back off, I am sleeping through the nights and my emotional and mental well-being are operating at my normal levels.  I am much happier which really the ultimate goal is.  We all will have stress on a daily basis, how we manage it will impact our nutrition and wellness infinitely.

-Amy Moser

For Inquiries regarding our nutrition program please contact me at nutrition@uptowncore.com

Spring Cleaning: Your Plate

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Now that our hibernation is over and summer is right around the corner there have been a few things on my mind.  One, I need to do some spring cleaning. Two, I am pumped for all the time I get to spend in the backyard having bonfires and watching the pups run around.  And three, it’s farmer’s market season so I will be cleaning up my diet and adding a ton of fresh veggies to my meals! Fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers galore!  If this sunshine and warmth doesn’t motivate you to clean up your diet and replace some of the rich, heavy comfort food with crisp, colorful, local fruits and veggies I don’t know what will.  Here are some pro tips to help clean up your plate as the sunny summertime becomes a reality

  • Visit your local farmer’s market weekly to stock up on some fresh fruits and veggies for your meals
  • Sign up for a CSA share or split with a friend. Fresh produce delivered to your door
  • Wash, cut up, and place all those veggies or fruits in containers right away to have ready for snacking or throwing in a pan to cook.
  • Make vegetables a priority with your meals and build your plate around them.  Roasted, raw, steamed, grilled, in a salad, in a smoothie, sauteed, or scrambled with eggs
  • Get protein in at every meal to help keep you satisfied (eggs, beef, chicken, fish, seafood, dairy sources, greek yogurt, beans, legumes, etc.)
  • Nix the pasta and warm, buttered bread at dinner and replace it with roasted potatoes or root vegetables drizzled with olive oil
  • Pick some of the seasonal fruit to have with breakfast, for snacks, or a healthier dessert option topped with coconut cream
  • If your fruits or veggies are nearing the end of their freshness, cut up and place in a freezer bag to use later in a smoothie or cooked up as a side
  • Stock up on some good spices and herbs to season your veggies
  • Break out that grill and bring your cooking outside! Get a vegetable basket for easy grilled veggies
  • Balance meals and snacks with protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Examples: Grilled pork chop, roasted golden potatoes and broccoli both drizzled in olive oil; Mixed greens salad topped with fresh peppers, onions, tomato, cilantro, avocado, salsa, greek yogurt, grilled chicken, and a handful of corn tortilla chips; Greek yogurt or cottage cheese topped with fresh fruit and a small handful of chopped nuts and shaved coconut
  • Keep it simple. Don’t overthink it and make meals more complicated than they need to be

I hope these tips motivate you to do some spring cleaning to your own plate and start your summer off feeling well-nourished and energized.

Coach Janna